China, Russia, and Iran have confirmed that several terrorist groups, including the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Majid Brigade, and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), are operating from Afghanistan and pose a threat to neighboring countries.
According to Express News, a four-nation meeting of foreign ministers from Pakistan, China, Russia, and Iran took place on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
In a joint statement issued after the meeting, the foreign ministers rejected claims that the Afghan Taliban are providing shelter to any terrorist group, including the TTP.
The ministers expressed deep concern over the security situation related to terrorism in Afghanistan, stating that groups such as ISIS, Al-Qaeda, the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Jaish al-Adl, Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), and Majid Brigade remain hidden in Afghanistan and continue to pose serious threats to regional and global security.
They condemned in the strongest terms any terrorist actions by these groups against neighboring and other countries and emphasized the need to strengthen cooperation on counter-terrorism at multiple levels.
The joint statement called on the Taliban government to adhere to its international commitments not to allow its territory to be used for terrorism against any other country.
It further stated that Afghanistan should receive assistance in addressing both the symptoms and root causes of terrorism and should take comprehensive actions to eliminate terrorism as soon as possible.
The foreign ministers commended the regional countries, particularly Pakistan and Iran, for hosting millions of Afghan refugees.
